


Weekly Correspondence

by Markov_Debris



Category: Torchwood
Genre: Angst, Episode: s01e13 End of Days, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-11
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-13 11:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12983316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Markov_Debris/pseuds/Markov_Debris
Summary: At the end of the week Ianto sits in the Tourist office to finalise the team’s weekly letters.





	Weekly Correspondence

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote this for the Myfanwy's Nest second challenge "The Torchwood Apology List." I hope that you enjoy.

Ianto opened the mail merge document to check the details of the letters the team needed to send.  He has been imputing the details all week from the team’s requests, but now he had just check them before getting them printed and posted out.

Torchwood used a special program to write their letters.  It was necessary as they often had to fake company logos and signatures.  A few clicks and the information was automatically added to the page.

Ianto used this program a lot during the cleanup process of their various cases.  He was quite proud of having designed it himself, and for only needing Tosh’s help to get a few of the logo’s and signatures they needed in emergencies.

This however was not their emergency correspondence.  This was non urgent stuff that could be dealt with and sent out at quiet times like this.

The Welshman sipped his coffee and scanned the first letter.

-

Dear Mr Saxon,

 

I regret to inform you that Toshiko Sato will not be available for secondment to the Valliant project.  She is vital to our operations here at Torchwood and cannot be spared.

I understood from your letter that UNIT had mentioned to you an agreement between us and them concerning Ms. Sato.  That agreement is in full force, and the terms and conditions state that her work is to be exclusively within Torchwood’s remit.

I know that a certain amount of protesting may arise, as much as I know that the Valliant is a vital project for the defence of this planet.  However our work here in Cardiff is just as important, if not more so.

I give to both you and UNIT the same response and that is BITE ME.  Please to not make any such request for any member of my team again.

 

Yours sincerely

Capt. Jack Harkness

-

Ianto hesitated over this letter for a moment.  He knew he really should edit some of the language that Jack had used.

However the letter had been written last week and Jack was no longer here.  Part of Ianto really didn’t care, which is why he seriously considered keeping the next letter that Owen had dictated intact.

-

To Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

 

I understand the honour of your invitation to a garden party at Buckingham Palace and under normal circumstances (meaning baring emergencies that often crop up in my work and require my immediate attention) I would be happy to attend.

However I have decided to bugger off with an alien who is considered to be Torchwood’s number one enemy leaving the rest of my team in the lurch.  They are a wonderful group of people and I know they will perform splendidly during my absence for an unknown period.

I apologise for any inconvenience my thoughtlessness causes.

 

Yours sincerely

Capt. Jack Harkness

-

Ianto decided to come back to that one when it was time to do the final print.

-

Dear Mr Williams,

 

I am writing with regards to your enquiry into our charity bungee jump on the 16th May.

I regret to inform you that all of the available places have been taken and the Health and Safety regulations prevent us from increasing their number.

I hope that we may continue to rely on your support for our cause and that we may continue to send news of our sponsor events to you.

Yours Sincerely

 

-

Ianto sighed.  He had forgotten to find out the name of the charity organising the bungee jumping event and Gwen hadn’t known when she asked him to squash the attempt.

He added doing the research to find out the details to the list of jobs to do before he printed out he letter run.  He only hoped that he would be able to get the charity logos and stuff himself as Tosh had gone home for some much needed sleep.

The next letter was one of his.  He tried to remain calm as he looked over it.

-

Dear Jack,

 

I regret to inform you that you are an absolutely heartless bastard to leave the team the way that you have.  We are coping, but I feel that it is unfair that we have to after our recent experiences.

On a personal note I have to advise you that I think I was falling in love with you and you may have broken my heart you git.

 

Yours more that you deserve

Ianto Jones

-

The Welshman hesitated over whether or not to delete this letter but felt it should get printed, even though it may never be read.  He left it for now like the letter to the Queen on his to reconsider list.

-

Dear Sir/Madam

 

Please find enclosed the M34HS motherboards and the 23POJK09 circuit boards as discussed in out phone conversation.

They were not to the specification we ordered, despite the claims on the packing receipt and the charred sate they are being returned in is the result.  Feel fortunate that none of our existing systems were effected otherwise we would request further compensation.

 

Yours sincerely

Toshiko Sato

IT Systems manager

Lloyd Green Chemicals Ltd

-

Ianto corrected the typo with a sigh.  Tosh had hacked into Arodyne Electronics systems to change the order at there end after she realised she had ordered the wrong product.

She couldn’t really be blamed, they were all under stress.  Fortunately the only damage had been to the electronic components she had installed and not to the alien artefact she was trying to interface with.

The young man scrolled down to the next letter.  It was another one of his.  He thought it slightly ironic that this one was more pleasant to write than the last one.

-

Dear Sian,

 

Thank you for your letter and CV that you send enquiring about possible job opportunities.

At present the Tourist Office – Mermaid Quay does not have any vacancies.  I have passed your details on to head office and we will keep your details on file here and contact you should anything arise.

 

Yours sincerely

Ianto Jones

Manager

-

There was something sobering about that letter.  He didn’t get many because they were tucked out of the way.  It hinted at desperation.

It made Ianto decide to revise the letter to the Queen into something more suitable.

-

To Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

 

I regret to inform your majesty that Captain Jack Harkness is currently on a sabbatical and will be unable to attend the Garden Party at the palace, which you honoured him with an invitation.

We understand that he is with Sir Doctor of TARDIS and we do not know when he is likely to return.  It remains the considered opinion of this branch of Torchwood that, while the Doctor is certainly dangerous, he is not an enemy of the crown, just as your previous correspondence with the Institute in London informed us.

While it would be an honour to any of our remaining team to accept your invitation to Captain Harkness in his place, we all feel that this would lead to a dangerous staff shortage, even if it is only for one night.

I apologise for any inconvenience that may cause you.

 

Yours sincerely

Ms. Gwen Cooper

Acting Director

Torchwood III

-

Still feeling very sober Ianto turned to the next letter.

 

Dear Mr Rathbone,

 

I regret to inform you that while significant damage was done recently to St Helen’s hospital we are unable to give you any confirmation the damage was caused by any direct action on our part.

If you read the small print of your insurance policies, you will discover that as your insurer isn’t a Cardiff based firm, there is no clause that covers our possible activities anyway.

I therefore suggest that you put in a claim for damage done as a result of attempted terrorist action thwarted by Special Forces.  I can assure you that such a claim will be paid.

Yours sincerely

Capt. Jack Harkness

-

Ianto became still for a moment.  Three people had died during their alien hunt at St Helens.  Gwen had made sure that a member of the team had notified the families personally.

She also made sure it wasn’t him.  Ianto didn’t want any special treatment, especially now, so he had asked her.  She told him it was because he already knew how to give respect to the dead and those that had been left behind.

It was a truth that felt so bitter to him.

There were other letters, ones he had already checked, and was no longer in the mood to check again.  Sometimes it felt like all he did last thing on a Friday was write letters of apology and regret.

He looked up the details of the charity holding the sponsored bungee jump Gwen didn’t want Rhys to participate in and finished the letter.

He decided to leave the letter to Mr Saxon just as Jack intended it, after all he wasn’t here to feel the repercussions and the others could claim ignorance.

With great care he printed, enveloped and stamped all but one.  He removed the letter to Jack from the pile and slipped it into his jacket pocket.

He locked up the Tourist Office and headed for the nearest post box.  The letter to the Captain he took home and placed in a fireproof locked box with the fifty-seven other letters he had written to Jack.

 

Fin.

 


End file.
